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Patented Nov. I, I898.

-W. F. RICHARDS.

CAR COUPLING.

(Application filed'May 7, 189B.)

2 SheetsShoet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 613,3l4. Patented Nov. 1, I898.

.w. F. RICHARDS.

CAR COUPLING.

(Application filed May '7, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-s 2.

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%L i7zg y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD F. RICHARDS, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOULD coUPLER COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

srncirrcnrrou forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,314, dated November 1, 1898.

Application filed May 7, 1898- Serial No. 679,978. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD F. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the general class of automatic twin-j aw car-couplings comprising a horizontally-swinging jaw or knuckle and a lock for holding the knuckle in its closed position, and more especially to couplers of this kind in which the lock is operated on by a spring for preventing its accidental disengagement from the lock by the jars or concussions received by the cars. This spring in order to reliably hold the lock in position must be comparatively strong. In withdrawing the lock for releasing the knuckle the resistance of the lock-spring must be overcome, and when the lock is arranged to slide in the longitudinal direction of the spring in looking and releasing the knuckle, as has generally been the case heretofore, this resistance is considerable and renders the op eration of unlocking the knuckle somewhat difficult.

The object of my invention is to so construct and arrange the lock and its spring releasing the knuckle.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved car-coupling, showing the knuckle locked. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the knuckle unlocked. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the lock pushed backward by the tailpiece of the knuckle preparatory to moving forward for locking the knuckle. Fig. t is a horizontal section of the coupling, showing the knuckle locked. Fig. 5 is a cross-section in line 5 5, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is the chambered draw-head, constructed upon the well-known lines adopted by the Master Gar-Builders Association, and A is 5o its hollow shank or draw-bar.

B is the coupling-jaw or knuckle, turning on the usual vertical pin b, and b the tailpiece of the knuckle.

O is the lock, which engages with the tailpiece of the knuckle and which" is pivoted atits rear end to a block or support D by a horizontal pivot 0, so that the free front portion of the lock can be raised clear of the tailpiece for releasing the knuckle, as shown in Fig. 2. The block D is arranged in the hollow drawbar A and is capable of sliding lengthwise therein, so that the lock carried thereby is free to engage with or be disengaged from the tailpiece of the knuckle by a backward-andforward movement as well as by a vertical movement. The block D is guided at its top and bottom in longitudinal ways 01, formed in the upper and lower walls of the draw-bar, as shown. The rear portion of the lock is preferably bifurcated and straddles the block D, as shown in Fig. 4.

E is a spring which tends constantly to force the lock and the block D forwardly, so as to hold the lock in reliable engagement with the knuckle. This spring is applied to a horizontal stem E, secured to the block D and extending rearwardly therefrom, and is interposed between a washer or collar f, arranged loosely on the front portion of said stem, and an abutment G, in which the rear portion of the stem is guided. This abutment bears with its rear side against internal lugs or stops 9, formed on the walls of the draw-bar, and is provided on its upper and lower sides with lugs h, which are arranged in the ways 01 of the draw-bar, as shown in Fig. 5. The withdrawal of the stem E from the abutment G is prevented by a key 2', and the forward movement of the block D is limited by a stop or headed pin j, which is removably arranged'in an opening j, formed in the bottom of the draw-head, and held therein by a cotter or other suitable fastening.

The bifurcated portion of the lock extends rearwardly beyond the block, and the washer f bears against this projecting end of the lock. The portion of the lock against which said washer bears is preferably extended upwardly above the plane of the lock-pivot to form a lug, nose, or cam is, so that the forward pressure of the spring exerted upon the look through the washer f tends to swing the free front end of the lock downward as well as retain the lock in its forward position, thereby preventing the lock from being accidentally swung upward out of engagement with the knuckle. This same result may be attained, though in an inferior degree, by omitting the lug or nose 7:; and simply forming the lock with a square or upright rear end.

Z is the lifting-link of the lock, which extends through an opening in the top of the draw-head and is connected with the usual operating or unlocking devices on the end of the car, which devices are not shown in the drawings.

\Vhen the knuckle is looked, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the block D is at the forward extremity of its movement and the lock lies horizontally on the front side of the tailpiece, the lock being held both against backward and upward movement by the springE bearing against the lug or nose at the rear end of the lock. Upon raising the free end of the lock for releasing the knuckle the nose of the lock forces the washer f rearwardly and further compresses the spring, as shown in Fig. 2, the block D remaining in its forward position during this movement of the lock. Owing to the length of the lock compared with that of its nose, a large advantageous leverage is obtained, which renders the operation of raising the lock against the resistance of the spring comparatively easy. In the open or uncoupled position of the knuckle the lock is projected into the path of the tailpiece of the knuckle by its spring, and when the knuckle is closed by contact with the coupler of an opposing car in coupling the knuckle is swung into its closed position in the usual manner and its tailpiece deflects the lock backward until it clears the same,wheu the lock is forced forward in front of the tailpiece by its spring. During this backward movement of the lock the same does not swing upward, but remains in its horizontal position, and the lock and the block carrying the same are caused to slide backwardly in the draw-bar, as shown in Fig. 3.

The ways in which the block D and the abutment G are arranged are open at their front ends, as shown, so that after removing the knuckle and the stop-pinj and detaching the link Zfrom the lock the latter, together with the block, the spring, and the abutment G, can be Withdrawn from the draw-head or placed therein, thus facilitating the assemblage and removal of the parts.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with the draw-head, the draw-bar and the knuckle, of a block or support capable of moving lengthwise in the draw-bar, a vertically-swinging lock pivoted to said block and a spring operating to force said block and the lock forwardly for holding the lock in engagement with the knuckle, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the draw-head, the draw-bar and the knuckle, of a block or sup port arranged to move lengthwise in the drawbar, a vertically-swinging lock pivoted with its rear portion to said block and provided above the plane of its pivot and adjacent thereto with a lug or nose, and a spring operating against said lug or nose, whereby the spring tends to move the lock and its supporting-block forwardly and at the same time resists the upward swing of the lock, substantially as set forth.

The combination with the draw-head, the draw-bar and the knuckle, of a block or support arranged to slide lengthwise in the drawbar and provided with a rearwardly-extending stem, an abutment arranged in the drawbar in rear of said block, a vertically-swinging lock pivoted to said block and provided at its rear end, above the plane of its pivot, with a lug or nose, and a spring applied to said stem between said lug or nose and said abutment, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the draw-head, the draw-bar and the knuckle, of a removable abutment arranged in the draw-bar, a sliding block or support arranged removably in the draw-bar in front of said abutment and provided wi th a rearwardly-extendin gstem ,wh ich is guided in said abutment, a vertically-swinging lock pivoted at its rear end to said block, and a spring surrounding said stem between said abutment and the rear end of the lock, substantially as set forth.

Vitness my hand this 23d day of April, 1898.

\VILLARD F. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

JNo. J. BONNER, KATHRYN ELMORE.

ICO 

